Dusting apparatus.



- Patented Aug.23,1910.

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ll Lllll I M F. C. STEVENS.

DUSTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14, 1909.

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DUSTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED mm: 14, 1909.

Patented Aug. 23, 1910.

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F. G. STEVENS.-

DUSTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14, 1909.

Patented Aug.23,1910.

3 SHEETS-8HEBT 3.

THE NORRIS PETERS co, wasumcrou. B4 c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK C. STEVENS, OF NORTH ANDOVER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 DAVIS &

FURBER MACHINE COMPANY, OF NORTH ANDOVER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORA- TIONOF MASSACHUSETTS.

DUSTING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 23, 1910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK C. STEVENS, a citizen of the United States,residing at North Andovcr, county of Essex, and State of Massachusetts,have invented an I nprovement in Dusting Apparatus, of wh ch thefollowing description, in connectlon with the accompanying drawing, is aspecification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to a dusting apparatus which is adapted to removedust from fibrous material by a blast of air, and par ticnlarly to thattype wherein the fibrous material is introduced into and passed througha compartment or dusting chamber having perforated or reticulated walls.An air current is passed through this chamber that operates to removethe dust from the material, the material being beaten or agitated whilein the compartment or chamber to assist in removing the dust.- Onedifliculty which is met with in dusting apparatus of this type is thatthe inner surface of that portion of the reticulated wall through whichthe air is exhausted soon becomes clogged with fibers which are drawingagainst it by the air current, and when this happens the efiiciency ofthe apparatus is greatly reduced.

My invention has for its object to provide a novel construction wherebythe inner surface of the reticulated wall of the dusting chamber can bekept free and clear from lint whereby the apparatus may be worked undera maximum efliciency at all times.

Referring to the drawings wherein I have illustrated one embodiment ofmy invention, Figure 1 is a vertical section at a dusting apparatusbuilt in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a section on the lineww,

Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section on the line au, Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a sectionon the line b--b, Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a side View of the upper part ofFig. 1 looking to the left with the outer wall of the housing removed toshow the interior construction; Figs. 6 and 7 are details of thevalve-reversing mechanism.

The main features of the dusting apparatus herein shown are similar tothose now commonly used and these features have not been shown in detailbecause their construction and operation is well known to thoseskilledin the art. It is sufiicient to say that the dusting apparatus comprisesa dusting chamber. 3 having a wall 4 which is perforated or reticulated,and within which chamber a rotary beater or similar element 5 issituated and rotates. The material to be dusted is passed through thechamber 3 from one end to the other thereof and simultaneously air isforced into the chamber through one portion of the wall 4 and iswithdrawn from the chamber through another portion of the wall, thecurrent of air in passing through the chamber operating to take with itthe dust which is loosened and shaken from the material. Since theseparts are old and form no part of the present invention I have notdeemed it necessary to illustrate them in any more detail than is shownin Fig. 1.

As stated above, my invention relates to a novel construction wherebythe interior surface of the wall 4 of the chamber 3 may be kept freefrom lint or other fibrous material which would naturally be drawnthereagainst by the outgoing current of air. I accomplish the object byarranging a novel manner of reversing the direction of the air currentthrough the chamber 3 so that for a certain period of time the air willbe delivered to the chamber through certain portions of the wall 4 andwithdrawn through other portions, and during the succeeding interval oftime will be introduced through the latter portions and withdrawnthrough the former portions. During the first interval of time the lintand loose fibers will gradually gather on the interior surface of theportion of the wall through which the air is withdrawn, and during thesecond interval of time when the air is introduced through such portionsof the wall, this accumulated lint will be blown off and the wall willthus be automatically kept clear from lint. This reversing preferablytakes place at regular periods of time and by means of this constructionthe wall 4 of the chamber will be kept clear and there will be no needof stopintroduced to rand withdrawn. through the lowerhalfpr-any' otherportion. of-the wall.

In carrying out my invention as embodiedyin .theconstruction illustratedin the .d-rawings, I coverwthepupper half of the chamber 3 with ahousing 6 which is separated some distance from the wall 4- and whichforms a space between it and the wall 4.. .Arranged withinv this housingare a plurality of partitions'7 extending longitudinally of the drum orchamber 3and also extending from the wall 4 outwardly in a:radial*=direction.' These partitions'form separate compartments 8 and80 each of which I chamber 3 through the reticulatedwall 4. The spacewithin the housing 6 isalso diyided transversely to form two "chambersand 21. This is accomplished by means is in: communication with theinterior of the of a-partition 9' whichextendsfrom the outer end of tlrepartition 7 to the housing 6. The

-compartments 8 all communicate with the space '21- only, :and the othercompartments 8O have communication: with i the space 20 only. i I securethis-endby partitions 10 and 11, the partitions 10'extending-from thetop of one partition 7 to the top of the next adjacent i one andseparating the compartments 8-fr0m the spaceQO, and the other partitionsll being similarly placedand separating the compartments 80 from thespace 21.

Fronr'the above it will be seen that each of i the compartments 8 and 80extend from one endto the-other. of the-chamber 3, but that thesecompartments are entirely separate from eachother, and that thecompartments 8 communicate only with the space 21, while thecompartments 8O communicate only with xxthe space-.20.

a: The. housing 6 is..formed at its upper'end -wii-th two-chambers 14and 15. The chamber 15lcommunicates1through a port or opening -16zwith apipe 17' leading to an exhaust ap- 1 paratus=,-while the chamber14communicates .::thl'0llgl1 a'port18 with a pipe 19 which .may

*communicatewith a-blower, orv which may .4 nected t0? the space 20,then: the air entering athe duster will pass: into said space20 and-1nto :all of the compartments 80 and will pass into the .dusting.chamber 3 through the portions of thewall 4 forming the bottom oftheicompartments 80. .The air will berexhaustedvfrom the dusting chamberthrough :the portions of the wall forming the bottom of; thecompartments 8 and from said compar-tments 8'- will pass'into'thespace.21 and thence. to the" exhaust chamber 15.

After the apparatus has been operating for such a length of. time that.the inner surfaces. of the wall 4 constituting-the bottom of thecompartments 8 become somewhat coatedw with fibrous material, thedirection of the current is reversed, that is, it is delivered. from thechamber 14 to the space .21

and thence to the dusting chamber through the compartments 8 and isexhausted from the dusting chamber through the compartments 80 and thespace 20 whichis connected with the exhaust chamber 15. This reversal ofcurrent'will blow oli from the underside of the wall 4 any lintor otherfibrous material which may have collected thereon, and thus'the dusterwill be automatically cleaned. This reversing of .the 'current-"ofrairis secured by means of. the reversing valve 30 which-is situatedzso thatit may connect either of the chambers 14 and 15 with the spaces 20 and'21 as desired.

'-As shown in Fig. 2, the valve is placed so that the chamber 14communicates with the space 20 and the chamber 15 communicates withthespace 21, but-by throwing'the valve into'the dotted line position thechamber 14 may:be-made to communicate with the space 21:,- and thechamber 15 to. communicate with the space 20.

WVhile it is within myiinvention to provide any suitable means forreversingthe valve, I have herein shown a power-driven deviceforaccomplishing this automatically at stated intervals. of time. shown asmounted on a shaft orspindle .31

which extendsup through thetop ofthe housing- 6 and has. secured theretoa pinion 32..which meshes with and is driven-by. a rack 33. I Therackisformed on a slide 34 which is moved back and forth in suitable guidesand-which is given its movement by a cam 35 thatzis'rigid with andisdriven by a worm gear 36. The worm gear in turn is .operatedby a worm 37mounted on a drlvz ing: shaft 38: which is driven by: means of asuitable driving pulley 39. .The cam 35is herein shownas-=providedwiththe hub 40 which is loosely mounted on .the upper endrofthe shaft 31, and this hub has fast thereto the gear-36. The .cam '35engages .two rollers 42 that are carried by the slide. 34,

and said cam. is shaped so that it will. give the slide its movement inboth directions, as is clearly shown in Fig. 6'wherein the cam .lS shownin dotted lines.- This particular mechanisnifor reversing automaticallythe avalve30 is not essential-to my invention,

however.

; Fromtheabove it will be seen that at regular. intervals of time thevalve 130 will be turned from the fullto the dottedline position andvice versa, andalso that the shifting .of .the. position of the valvewill -re- The valve is verse the direction of current through theapparatus and by this means the inner surface of the wall 4 will beautomatically kept clean from accumulations of lint or other fibrousmaterial which would tend to impede the passage of air and thus reducethe efficiency of the apparatus.

I have herein shown one embodiment only of my invention and therefore donot wish to be limited to the constructional details illustrated.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. In a dusting apparatus, the combinationwith a dusting chamber adapted to receive the material to be dusted andhaving a portion at least of its wall reticulated, and a beat-er withinsaid chamber, of means to deliver air into the interior of said dustingchamber through certain portions of its reticulated wall and at the sametime to withdraw the air from said chamber through other portions of itsreticulated wall, and means to reverse the direction of the air currentthrough said chamber.

2. In a dusting apparatus, the combination with a dusting chamberadapted to receive the material to be dusted and having a portion atleast of its wall reticulated, and a heater within said chamber, ofmeans to deliver air into the interior of said dusting chamber throughcertain portions of its reticulated wall and at the same time towithdraw the air from said chamber through other portions of itsreticulated wall, and means to reverse the direction of the air currentthrough said chamber at stated intervals of time.

3. In a dusting apparatus, the combination with a dusting chamberadapted to receive the material to be dusted and having a reticulatedwall and a beater within said chamber, of means dividing a part at leastof said reticulated wall into sections, means to deliver air into thechamber through one section of said wall while exhausting the,

air through another section, and means to reverse the direction of thecurrent of air.

4. In a dusting apparatus, the combination with a dusting chamber havinga reticulated wall, of a housing inclosing a portion at least of saidreticulated wall, means dividing said housing into separate compartmentseach of which communicates with the interior of the dusting chamberthrough said reticulated wall, means to force air into the dustingchamber through certain of said compartments and to exhaust it from thedusting chamber through other compartments, and means to reverse thedirection of the air current.

5. I11 a dusting apparatus, the combination with a dusting chamberhaving a re ticulated wall, of a plurality of partitions extendinglongitudinally of said chamber exterior thereto and forming exterior tosaid wall a plurality of separate compartments, a housing inclosing saidcompartments and divided to present two spaces. one of whichcommunicates with certain of said compartments and the other of whichcommunicates with the remainder of said compartments, means to force airinto either one of said spaces and to exhaust the air from the other ofsaid spaces and means to reverse the direction of the air current.

6. In a dusting apparatus, the combination with a dusting chamber havinga reticulated wall, of a plurality of partitions extendinglongitudinally of said chamber exterior thereto and forming exterior tosaid wall a plurality of separate compartments, a housing inclosing saidcompartments and divided to present two spaces, one of whichcommunicates with certain of said compartments and the other of whichcommunicates with the remainder of said compartments, said housing alsohaving an air inlet chamber and an exhaust chamber, and a valve adaptedto connect the air inlet chamber with either of said spaces, and theexhaust chamber with the other of said spaces.

7. In a dusting apparatus, the combination with a dusting chamber havinga reticulated wall, of a plurality of partitions extendinglongitudinally of said chamber exterior thereto and forming exterior tosaid wall a plurality of separate compartments, a housing inclosing saidcompartments and divided to present two spaces, one of whichcommunicates with certain of said compartments and the other of whichcommunicates with the remainder of said compartments, said housing alsohaving an air inlet chamher and an exhaust chamber, a valve adapted toconnect the air inlet chamber with either of said spaces and the exhaustchamber with the other of said spaces, and means to reverse the positionof said valve at stated intervals of time.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK o. STEVENS.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM D. RUNDLETT, ALFRED C. JENSEN.

